The Nightmare Saga: Shadow of Pitch, Blade of Light
by JohnnyReb
Summary: Happosai is gone and buried. War erupts in China between Musk and Amazons. Ranma is determined to end the nightmare plaguing him and his family. He embarks on a mission deep in the mountains with Tatiwaki Kuno in a gambit for clues he needs to save those he loves. But shadows are cryptic and insidious. Ranma may find that the worst evil dwells within our own thoughts and actions.


Ranma ½: The Nightmare Saga  
Shadow of Pitch, Blade of Light  
By JohnnyReb

Disclaimer: I do not own any anything concerning Ranma ½. All rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, and anyone else associated with the American and Japanese versions.

Note: This is the fourth in the series. To any new readers, I highly recommend starting from the beginning to get a feel for the events and battles that have come before. This story has been a long time in coming. I'm sorry it took so long.

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"Do we not all spend the greater part of our lives under the shadow of an event that has not yet come to pass?"  
-Maurice Maeterlinck

Prologue:

The wailing of a baby echoed throughout the hallways outside of the small room that housed the little one and his crib. The kingdom he had once controlled had been reduced to this small room and its single piece of furniture. The frustration at such a situation was one of the reasons for his cry, though none of the attendants would have guessed as much. After all, past glory was not the thoughts of young babies.

The shrill pitch of the cry was sure to send an attendant to look after the baby's welfare. This was far from the Entity's intent but at present he had no other way of expressing its frustration and displeasure.

The Entity was no normal baby. It did not cry when it was cold, hungry, or had a full diaper. This child cried when its carefully crafted schemes and plans fell apart after months of careful plotting and manipulation. On top of that, to be reduced to this prison like state and helpless to do anything about it was the epitome of suffering.

Mint and Lime, the pawns that he had arranged with as much consideration as a well planted king and queen on a chessboard, had been checkmated. The latest plan to destroy Ranma, his family, and his friends had gone up in flames, along with the Musk pawns after they paid the price for betrayal at the hands of Emperor Herb himself.

It had been his dominating will that had possessed a key scientist in the within China's Communist party. Like a marionette on strings he had led the scientist to the outskirts of the Musk Dynasty and waited for a chance to introduce the pawn to Mint and Lime. All the while he planted ideas into the scientist's head.

Experimentation. Bio-weapon. Super Soldier. Government funding.

After a chance meeting he'd invaded the mind of the two Musk bodyguards and had likewise stoked their long held animosity towards Ranma and his friends. That was as far as he'd needed to work. The two fools had advanced his will on their own after that.  
And yet it had all been for naught. A month of planning and control had ended in failure.

The wailing continued as the Entity lamented the ill luck that continued to plague his plans. Presently, a female attendant came into the room and inspected the baby and spying a dry diaper gently picked up the baby with as much care as possible, holding him in the crook of her elbow.  
"There there, great one," she whispered softly. "There, there."

This only infuriated the Entity more but he realized that unless he calmed his body the woman would not leave. Using all his concentration he gradually allowed the cries to diminish as he pacified his body through strength of will. To further this process along he tried to find a silver lining to the string of defeats against Ranma that he'd witnessed from afar.

Happosai was dead. This was an unexpected boon. The loss of such a powerful martial artist would greatly affect Ranma's survival in the future. As bad as things had gone, the death of the diminutive master had shifted long term prospects in the Entity's favor. He had also managed to shatter Ranma's happiness by crashing the wedding. The suffering caused during the Musk summer attack had stung his enemies for months. There was that at least. Furthermore, the instigated problems between the Musk and the Amazon's was ebbing closer and closer to open war. This would throw the Jusenkyo area of China into chaos and help to screen his future plans.

Perhaps, the Entity thought, things are not going so badly after all.

The nurse placed the pacified baby back in his crib and left in hopes that the child would sleep. Instead, he would plot and scheme anew. Stretching out with his senses, he began to watch and search, spreading his consciousness and observing those who drew his attention, looking for new pawns. With nothing else to do he spent as much time doing it as his infantile body would allow. An hour into a pleasant surprise was found. One of the pawns caught in the web was still alive. The Entity stretched out its consciousness and made contact with its former pawn's subconscious. The world's greatest manipulator began to insert thoughts and plans into the pawn's mind and took comfort in the fact that soon, Ranma's life was going to be threatened again.

But it would not be enough. If this unknown war was to end decidedly in his favor, a backup plan had to be set into motion. Closing its eyes, the child began to pulse, gently shaking the crib as it released its consciousness, attacking to its miniscule shadow created by the low candlelight of the room. The shadow stretched and grew into a hideous shade of darkness taller than a man by half a meter. Bending over the crib, the shadow looked down at its body before raising one constantly changing hand, admiring it before nodding with approval.

If Ranma could continue to resist physical pain and punishment perhaps a more psychological approach would bear fruit. Sliding and gliding out of the room and into the outer chambers, the shadow planned its migration to Japan. It would take time of course, hiding in the various shadows of people and beasts throughout the journey would be exhausting work but with his physical body locked in the body of an infant he had no other choice.  
Attaching to the shadow of a rat who had been searching the grounds for food, the shadow began its insidious journey.

Chapter 1: Farewell to the Founder

It was raining in Tokyo the day of the funeral. The heavens cried their endless tears as the Tendo and Saotome families stood before the modest vertical grave located among a forest of others. No one spoke and Ranma looked at the gravestone and thought that its similarity to all those around it did not do the memory Happosai accurate justice.

Happosai had been cremated and buried that morning and now unremarkable tombstone hovering over those buried ashes was all that remained of the founder of the Anything Goes style of martial arts.

The somber event had hit them all very hard but Soun and Genma were taking the tragedy even harder. Kasumi and Nadoka offered the men whatever shred of comfort they could as well an umbrella for protection from the rain. The men hardly seemed to notice. They just stared at the stone and cried vocally, recalling the brave sacrifice Happosai had committed so that everyone else could live.

Everyone was used to Soun's normal outburst of spontaneous tears. This was something entirely. It was almost enough to make even a stranger burst into tears if they had witnessed the event from afar.

Ranma stood slightly off to the side, holding his own umbrella. His head was lowered so that the black bangs concealed his eyes and the fact that he too was crying. Akane came up beside him. Her black dress matched his own black silk shirt and pants Without a word, she put a hand around his shoulder. Rather than help, this only made Ranma's head sag further. Even using all of that legendry willpower, he was unable to keep his shoulders from shaking as the occasional sob escaped from his clamped lips.

"Ranma…" Akane sighed sadly. She, like everyone else, felt the sharp pain of losing someone close, but Happosai had been Ranma's master, unofficially at least. As such, he was understandably taking it harder than everyone perhaps Soun and Genma. She wasn't sure how to properly console him. In the end she settled for just standing by with her arm around him, offering whatever comfort her physical presence would afford.  
Even Nabiki looked sad. He'd become part of the household and the family. She'd gotten used to seeing him around or causing trouble around town. To her, the hole created from his passing would always be felt whenever she passed by his old room.

Minutes turned into twenty and yet the girls did not complain as the men continued to weep. They understood it was cathartic to pay respects to the man who had, for better and for worse, had impacted all their lives.

Overhead the clouds rumbled as if paying homage and the rain increased from a gentle shower to adownpour. Ukyo and Ryoga arrived, sharing a large umbrella to off their final respects and Akane smiled slightly, appreciating their gratitude.

Cologne, Shampoo, and Mousse arrived last. The ancient Amazon wore a miniature silk black robe and it was clear she'd been crying all morning. She'd known Happosai for almost 300 years and more importantly, the two had been in love. Judging by her reaction as she came and knelt before the tombstone, she still loved him.

Shampoo knelt before the ancient woman and offered whatever support she could muster.

"Happi" Cologne sobbed. "Happi, you fool. You weren't supposed to go first…"

No doubt she was remembering the distant past where she and Happosai could have had a life together but his perversion had ended the relationship and forced him out of the village as a result.

Ranma moved out from the protective umbrella as the cold rain drops activated his curse. Undaunted, she moved to stand in front of her family and peers, no longer trying to mask the tears in her eyes.

"Its funny," she said without humor. "For most of the time that I knew Happosai, I wanted to kill him myself. Not latterly of course, but he used to make me so mad." She gestured to Soun and Genma. "He gave us all problems We all did, all wanted to beat the snot out of him. We wanted him gone. Now that he is gone, the only thing we want is to have him back."

Lightning flashed overhead, cascading across the sky. Ranma closed her eyes as tears mixed with the rain falling down her face.  
"He wasn't east to live with," she continued quietly, just barely loud enough to be heard over the rainfall. "He caused a lot of problems and more often than not, he made my life a living hell. He was a thief, a troublemaker, and a menace."

Ranma paused, taking a deep breath and clenching her hands into tight fists at her sides. She threw her head skyward, challenging the fury of the storm with her own potent emotions. "But he was our friend! Our mentor! The founder of our school! When we needed him the most he was there, even when his body was failing!"

She slumped forward, turning her gaze to her friends as they watched silently. Ranma shivered as the cold rain soaked her clothes to her skin but she made no move to get back under cover.

Her voice trembled as she gave voice to her pain. "He earned my respect and I'll carry on the school he started! I swear it! I'll never let his memory be forgotten!"

Her head slumped forward and she cried. There was so much more she wanted to say. How could she sum up all there was to Happosai in just a few words? The truth was there wasn't. Even though there was so much she wanted to say, all that came out were sobs.

Akane came and brought the umbrella back over Ranma's head, putting her hand on the smaller girl's shoulder. "Its ok,' she whispered comfortingly. "I'm sure he's watching right now. I bet he's touched."

"I wish I could have saved him," Ranma said hoarsely. "If only I had been faster back at Wraith's castle…"

"He made his choice," she reminded her, moved by the words and wiping away her own tears. "He absolutely wouldn't want you to grieve his passing."

Akane held out her hand to the subdued redhead. "Come. Let's join the others."

The offered hand was like a ray of light piercing a storm cloud. Ranma took the hand and considered the offer to be lead away from self-educed isolation.

Ranma nodded mutely, allowing herself to be led back to her family. They gathered together, creating a ceiling of umbrellas. Ryoga put his hand on Ranma's shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. Ranma took comfort from everyone's presence and they in hers.

The rain continued to fall but perhaps, Ranma decided, it was washing clean the nightmare from all of their lives. Perhaps the cleansing rain would wash away the last of the problems that had plagued their lives for a year now. The hopeful smile Akane gave him made it clear she thought so. The attack by Mint and Lime had struck her hard, perhaps hardest of all in some ways. The fact that she had the strength to continue on and not give in to despair was a powerful and motivating sight indeed.

But Ranma wasn't so optimistic. He thought about the encounter he'd had with Ukyo months ago after she had wounded Ryoga. He'd seen the dark energy evaporating off her in waves as he'd pressed her for answers. He knew things weren't over. Ukyo had not succumbed to another bout of madness which told him that she had truly been controlled. Unfortunately, that also made it clear that she'd been controlled. The energy had been darker than even Wraith, clearing him of suspicion and Mind and Lime had neither the technique nor subtlety. That meant whoever had been behind it was still at large.

Who was it? Why had they decided to strike when they did? Why had there been no follow up attack? What was the strategic value of controlling Ukyo over someone more powerful like Cologne? There were no answers, only straws to grasp at.

Under the rain Ranma's mind whirled. She thought of this now, perhaps as an escape from the pain of Happosai's passing. Or maybe it was simply that Ranma wanted something else to fight and beat on to get rid of all the negative emotions swirling around his mind like a storm.

The difference from before, Ranma vowed, was that the next time she would be ready. He would end the nightmare plaguing the lives of those he loved before anyone else died. His resolve determined, she gripped Akane's hand a little tighter, finally meeting the hopeful gaze with one of her own.

Note from the Author: I know I've not written recently and I apologize. The 4th story is finally starting up and I've been listening to the comments of those who've taken the time to kindly leave comments. I will endevour for this story to return, at least in part, to the quality enjoyed in Warrior of the Shadows. If you want to be kept up to date with the process and see any delays, as well as my own thoughts and mindset on the project, please check my profile as I will be writing status updates for my various stories. Thank you for reading!


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